Former BBC Strictly Come Dancing star breaks down in tears and rushes off stage amid 'wonderful' tribute to late dancer
26.10.2023 - 07:35
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli rushed off stage in tears after an emotional tribute to his late friend and co-star Len Goodman.
The 67-year-old is a judge on the American version of Strictly, known as Dancing With the Stars. On Tuesday night's show, the professional dancers headed to the ballroom floor for an emotional routine in memory of Len, reports the Mirror. Len died in April this year at the age of 78 following a battle with prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.
Len was a host on Strictly from the very first episode in 2004, sitting on the panel for 12 years. This year's Dancing With the Stars series has included many tributes to him including the winner's trophy being renamed The Len Goodman mirrorball trophy.
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On Tuesday night, during week five of the series, dancers past and present came together to pay their respects through dance. The theme of the week was Most Memorable Year and the ensemble performed a rendition to pay homage to Len's personal ballroom dancing roots.
They danced to Henry Mancini's classic Moon River, known for featuring in the iconic 1971 film Breakfast at Tiffany's. After the moving waltz tribute, Bruno, who was a close friend and fellow judge of Len, couldn't contain his emotions and rushed off stage in tears, reports the Liverpool ECHO.
Viewers were also touched by the emotional tribute and shared their reactions on X, formerly Twitter. One fan wrote: "The Len tribute dance was literally perfect. Every detail down to the lighting was just beautiful.